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H.Res.317 / 112th Congress

Demanding that Hamas immediately and unconditionally release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia .

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 21, 2011

Demands that Hamas: (1) release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, (2) allow access to Gilad Shalit by competent medical personnel and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, (3) provide Gilad Shalit the humane treatment all captives are entitled to as a fundamental human right, (4) facilitate regular communication by Gilad Shalit with his family, and (5) cease compelling Gilad Shalit to appear in video and voice recordings intended to extort and coerce the government of Israel.

Expresses: (1) commitment to the survival of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state within recognized and secure borders; (2) opposition to participation by Hamas in the Palestinian Authority (PA) prior to explicit acceptance by that group of Israel's right to exist, the cessation of all violence, and the binding commitments made previously by the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO); and (3) commitment to seek the release of Gilad Shalit and other missing Israeli soldiers.

Recalls: (1) the attack on and kidnapping of the bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev by the Iran-supported terrorist group Hezbollah; and (2) the missing Israeli soldiers Zecharya Baumel, Zvi Feldman, Yehuda Katz, Ron Arad, Guy Hever, and Majdy Halabi.

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Condemns: (1) Hamas for the immoral cross border attack and kidnapping of Gilad Shalit; and (2) Iran and Syria, the primary state sponsors and patrons of Hamas, for their ongoing support for international terrorism.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Rep. Ackerman, Gary L. [D-NY-5] · D–NY

Committees

  • Foreign Affairs Committee
26 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia .

  2. Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Apr 28, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.Res.317 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.Res.317 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.Res.317 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.Res.317 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

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